


The Last Drop of Panta

by GhostieWrites



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-22 23:39:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16607600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostieWrites/pseuds/GhostieWrites
Summary: When Kokichi had spoken his request, Shuichi had replied with a very quick "No!"Yet here he was.In a maid uniform.Serving the supreme leader a glass of grape Panta....But is there more to this embarrassing request than meets the eye...?





	1. An Embarrassing Request

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kokichi|Seven](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Kokichi%7CSeven).



> This is a story that I originally intended to be a short little continuation of a small fic I had written to accompany a drawing I made for an art trade with a close friend of mine - however, it quickly snowballed into something much, MUCH bigger!
> 
> This fic as a whole really delves into the reasons why I ship Oumasai, so have fun seeing my take on their relationship with each other and how a relationship between the two is difficult to blossom in a killing game situation (but is possible under certain circumstances).
> 
> *Note: Some spoilers to V3. Also, this doesn't take place anywhere particularly in the plot of the game - I included knowledge of things post-chapter 4, though obviously this wouldn't have happened post-chapter 4. Creative liberties~
> 
> Enjoy!

  _Kokichi Ouma had a devilish grin on his face, balancing the rim of the ultimate detective's hat on his pointer finger._

_Shuichi Saihara wore a much different expression - one of annoyance and regret for dropping his guard enough for the prankster to grab hold of his hat in the first place._

_"You can have your hat back, Saihara-chan~" Kokichi chimed, "Buuuut, you're going to have to do me a favor first!" His innocent tone contrasted sharply with the mischievous grin planted on his face._

_Shuichi watched the other for a moment, his golden-gray eyes glancing at his precariously-balanced hat, wondering for a brief moment if he could snatch it away before remembering how quick the other could be. He sighed as he looked back at the gremlin, "...Fine. What is it?"_

 

 

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

_When Kokichi had spoken his request, Shuichi had replied with a very quick "No!"_

  _Yet here he was._

  _In a maid uniform._

  _Serving the supreme leader a glass of grape Panta._

 

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

“…C-can I have my hat back now..?” Shuichi stammered quietly, shifting uncomfortably in the maid uniform Ouma had requested he wear as he tried to keep the tray in his hand steady.

 

Kokichi grinned from his spot in the chair, still balancing the hat on his finger. “I said you have to serve me, but you’re still _waaaay_ over there! How am I supposed to drink my Panta if it’s so far away?”

Shuichi tilted his head down, a habit he had developed when he wanted to avoid other’s eyes on him – however, it only worked if his hat was on to successfully block his view with its bill. Now he just looked silly.

“Trying to hide away won’t work without _thiiiis_ , Saihara-chan~” Kokichi chimed, tossing the hat in the air before plopping it onto his own head. It dropped down in front of his eyes before he lifted it slightly, smirking at the other.

Shuichi merely sighed. There was no way Kokichi was letting him get out of this.

He really WAS evil.

Stepping forward, Shuichi tried to avoid the awkwardness of the situation. He focused on his hat, perched atop Kokichi’s head. All he had to do was give him this glass of Panta, and then he could get his hat back and change out of this stupid-

His eyes made the unfortunate mistake of drifting down slightly, meeting Kokichi’s intense violet gaze as he watched the uniform-clad detective like a hawk. Shuichi stumbled a little under the scrutiny, the tray and items wobbling before he used both hands to steady them.

“Careful~” Kokichi mused with a grin, “If you spill, you’ll have to clean it up and get me a new one...! Then you really WILL be a maid, nishishi~”

The tint already on Shuichi’s face darkened at this remark – of course the little gremlin would find as many things to tease him about as he could.

“T-that won’t be happening, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi replied, trying to keep his voice even as he resumed closing the gap between himself and the supreme leader.

“Awww…that’s SUPER disappointing!” Kokichi pouted a bit, folding his hands together before resting his chin on them. “I was looking forward to it and everything!”

Shuichi ignored that comment, finally arriving by his side. He picked up the glass of Panta and held it out to Kokichi. “…Here you go.”

Kokichi’s violet hues drifted down to the glass of soda, a purple striped straw placed in along with a few cubes of ice. A bottle was still sitting on the tray, holding what remaining soda hadn’t fit into the glass.

After a moment, the supreme leader leaned back in his seat, resting his elbow on the armrest and placing his chin on his hand. He then lifted his gaze from the glass to meet Shuichi’s eyes, “Take a sip.”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow at the sudden request, tray in one hand and holding the glass in the other, “…What?”

Kokichi continued watching him, a serious expression on his face. “I said, _take a sip_.” He put emphasis on the statement, making it sound more like a demand than a request.

Shuichi grew more flustered at his sudden change in expression – though he knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Ouma was known for changing his moods on a dime. No matter how many times he did it, though, it always managed to make him uneasy.

“I-I’m not going to drink your soda…,” Shuichi replied back, trying to make it sound final.

Kokichi kept his violet hues on Shuichi, his eyelids closing slightly as if he were examining him closely. He then let out a laugh, “Saihara-chan, do you REALLY expect me to drink something prepared by the ultimate detective without watching him try it first…?”

Shuichi stared at the other, before suddenly realizing why he was hesitant to drink it.

“You…you think I…”

“Poisoned it? Well, duh~” Kokichi exclaimed, waving a hand in the air. “Don’t think I don’t know what that cabinet in your lab is full of!”

Shuichi widened his eyes – not because of guilt, but because of the sheer fact Kokichi even expected him to do such a thing. “I…I would never do something like that…!” he replied, a nervous defensiveness in his tone as his stomach churned just thinking about committing such an act.

Kokichi wasn’t moving his eyes away from the detective, watching him grow defensive and quite distressed due to his accusation. In some, such an action would be a damning confirmation of a deadly truth.

But, this was Saihara-chan.

“You do realize that, whether we like it or not, we’re stuck in a killing game? That our only way out is to kill, be killed or stay smart enough to outlive the rest?” Kokichi said. “You can’t blame me for being cautious, now can you?”

Shuichi opened his mouth as if he were to say something, but no words came out. He was right. Anyone could make a plan to murder someone – himself included. Just because Kokichi didn’t seem to care about the killing game, didn’t mean he wasn’t being careful about it.

Which meant if he wanted his hat back – and to change out of this ridiculous outfit – he had to prove to him that the drink he poured wasn’t tainted.

The detective sighed, before bringing the glass to his own lips and taking a small sip of the grape-flavored beverage. He had never been a fan of soda – the bubbles tickled his throat and made his stomach feel strange if he drank too much. But, if it would get Kokichi to end this little game, then he was willing to drink it.

He swallowed the small sip, face cringing slightly at how the soda felt slipping down his throat. But he did it – while Kokichi watched his every move.

“There, proof,” Shuichi said after he lowered the glass again, moving it towards Kokichi. “Here you go.”

Kokichi averted his attention from Shuichi to the glass, eyeing the spot where he had taken a sip. He seemed to be calculating something, before leaning closer to the straw. 

The detective glanced away, a tint of pink on his cheeks as he held the glass for him. Why couldn’t he just take the glass himself??

Just as his lips were about to close around the straw, he paused, turning his attention back to Shuichi.

The detective watched him, confused as to why he suddenly stopped and was staring at him. “W-what..?” he asked, warily.

The supreme leader seemed to consider something, before leaning away again. “Take a sip…from the straw.”

_The straw???_

Shuichi’s grip on the glass tightened slightly, “O-Ouma-kun, this is ridiculous…”

Kokichi narrowed his eyes at him, “Is it, Saihara-chan? Is it really too crazy for me to consider the very rare, but still likely, possibility that you laced the tip of the straw with some kind of poison? If that were the case, the drink itself wouldn’t be what would kill me…so you would be fine after trying it.”

Shuichi stared at the supreme leader. For an obnoxious liar who loved getting on classmate’s nerves, his ability to consider all options in any given scenario was almost haunting to the detective. How much had he figured out during previous trials that he had kept to himself…?

“Ouma-kun…” Shuichi said, trying to keep his head level. All he wanted was for this entire situation to be over with…and his arms were seriously starting to get sore from carrying the tray and soda for so long. “I didn’t poison the soda, or the straw. I would never do anything like that…and even if I would, I would have never had enough time to plan it…you were the one who asked me to do this for you.”

Kokichi continued watching him as he replied, however his suspicious expression didn’t seem to go away. “You’re smart, Saihara-chan. I would never underestimate your ability to think on the fly…after all, you’ve done it during trials before.”

Huh? Was he referring to the times he had to…

Shuichi felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead – had Ouma known all of the times he had committed perjury?

That- that didn’t matter! He had only ever done so with good intentions - in order to get to the truth! He would NEVER try and kill someone…!

As Shuichi’s thoughts were trying to go over what Kokichi was implying, he happened to notice a slight smirk appear on the smaller boy’s face.

…That was when he realized it.

Kokichi was messing with him.

Shuichi let out an exasperated sigh. “…Ouma-kun, you don’t really expect me to attempt to kill you, do you?”

The little gremlin’s smirk turned into a pout, “Who, me? Expect my beloved Saihara-chan to go out of his way, risking his very own life, to murder me? It’s very possible, y’know!”

Shuichi shook his head, pulling the glass away from him. “If you really did think that, you never would have put me in a situation where I would have control over something like this.”

The supreme leader leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. “Are you _suuuuure_ about that, Mr. Detective?” he asked, voice hinting at something more.

Shuichi furrowed his brows – why did dealing with Kokichi hurt his head so much? “Y-yes…I’m sure,” he affirmed back.

Kokichi let out a short giggle, before abruptly standing up. He then moved, slowly stepping around Shuichi, his hand briefly brushing the black fabric of the maid uniform. “I see…so, Saihara-chan believes that I would never create a situation where I’m disadvantaged, if I were really suspicious of someone’s motives…”

The moment Kokichi had stood up, Shuichi’s heart rate increased. Ouma had a knack for taking a situation and flipping it upside down – now the detective was starting to believe that the supreme leader had something more than a harmless prank planned. He didn’t know what to say, turning to keep the smaller boy in sight.

“You think I would hide away…and avoid the person of interest, in order to secure my own safety…?” Kokichi said, still circling around the other.

Shuichi didn’t reply, though Kokichi could plainly read on his face that the detective had no idea what he would do.

“Nishishi…if that’s true, I’m a little hurt that you would think that pathetically of me…” Ouma said, clasping his hands together behind his back as he stopped, facing Shuichi.

Shuichi stopped turning as the other did, balancing the bottle of soda on the tray and holding the glass in his other hand. He was trying to keep them steady, but after holding them for so long, coupled with nerves, they were a bit wobbly.

Kokichi merely stared back at him, a small smirk on his face. Shuichi was beginning to get fed up with his antics – the way he so easily messed with his mind was unnerving. However still, a part deep inside of the detective found the turn of events thrilling.

He decided if he was going to get to the bottom of it, he needed to be frank.

“…Enough games. Why did you steal my hat, Ouma-kun?” He asked, watching the other with a serious expression, who was only a couple of footsteps in front of him.

Kokichi still wore the same smirk on his face. He brought a hand out from behind his back, bringing it up to touch the bill of Shuichi’s hat, which was still perched upon his head. “Oh, this old thing…?” he mused, taking it off so he could examine it. “It’s not as comfortable as I thought it’d be, considering you used to wear it all the time...”

Shuichi moved his gaze to the hat, feeling the urge to reach out and grab it – if only his hands weren’t full.

“Even if you don’t wear it anymore, I knew it would still be important to you. I bet it brings back memories, huh?” Kokichi said, lifting his gaze to meet Shuichi’s. The smirk had dropped, and he almost had a serious expression for a moment before he tilted his head to the side with a small smile.

Shuichi bit the inside of his lip. Yes, it brought back memories. Not from anything before waking up in the killing game, but of someone…

“I get it was kinda low of me to steal something so important to you. But if it wasn’t something good, you’d never have agreed to this in the first place,” Kokichi continued, putting the hat back onto his own head.

“Agreed to what? Putting on a maid uniform and serving you Panta like a servant?” Shuichi replied, irritation inching into his tone. “Of course I wouldn’t have…! This is embarrassing…” he said, still not accustomed to the openness of wearing a dress.

“Aww, don’t be so close-minded, Shu-shu…you look _amazing_ ~!” Kokichi grinned, making Shuichi blush darkly and avert his eyes. He was going to try and think that that wasn’t a valid reason, though Kokichi seemed rather enthusiastic about it.

“That’s one reason why I stole your hat, but not the only one,” Kokichi went on.

Shuichi still felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment but brought his golden-gray eyes back over to Kokichi. “…What else?” he asked, hoping he was done playing and would just give him an answer already.

The purple gremlin stepped forward, making Shuichi take a sudden step back, his grip on the glass strong. However, Kokichi didn’t stop until Shuichi was back against a wall, his only means of escape being around the smaller boy.

Shuichi wore a nervous frown, Kokichi a mischievous grin. The detective tensed as the smaller boy leaned forward, his face heating up more as he felt frozen to the spot.

_Siiiiiiiiiiip~_

Ouma had taken the straw between his lips, taking a long sip of the purple beverage as Shuichi held the glass, watching him in surprise.

Kokichi swallowed before letting out a hum of approval. “ _Mmmm~_! Super refreshing!” he exclaimed, before leaning back on his heels. “Thanks, Saihara-chan! I was suuuuper thirsty, to the point where my throat was so dry I thought cacti were going to start growing there! And if that happened, I’d be dead for sure!”

Shuichi stared at the boy in absolute silence, his face still red.

“I was too lazy to go alllll the way to the dining hall for a drink, though, so I thought it’d be MUCH more fun to steal your hat in order to give you some incentive to get one for me!”

Lazy? Incentive?

“Nishishi, the maid uniform was just an added bonus~” he winked at the detective.

After everything…Shuichi couldn’t even bring himself to waste energy being surprised, or angry. This was Kokichi. One of few who would waste more effort devising a plan to make someone else bring him a drink than he would have spent getting one himself.

Saihara merely sighed, “Can I have my hat back now that you’ve had your fun?”

Kokichi closed his eyes and nodded with a grin, “Mmmhm!” He leaned forward again, taking another long sip to finish up the soda before plopping the hat onto Shuichi’s head. “Thanks again, Saihara-chan~!”

“Yeah…” Shuichi said in reply, irritation in his tone, “Next time, you can get your own drink.” He then went to put the tray and glass down on a nearby table, wanting to get out of there to change as fast as possible.

As he was heading to the door, Kokichi spoke up with a chilling voice, “ _…Oh, you won’t have to worry about that._ ”

Those words made Shuichi freeze in his tracks, slowly turning back to look at the supreme leader. “…What?”

Kokichi was looking over the glass, before removing the straw from it. “You’re right, Saihara-chan…the straw wasn’t laced with poison. I would have been a real goner if I drank straight from the glass, though.”

Shuichi felt the blood freeze in his veins at that remark, eyes wide as he turned more to face Ouma.

The…the glass…? 

The glass he had drank from…?

His heart was beating hard against his chest, bringing a hand up to his throat as if he expected it to start burning. 

“The poison works slow… _juuuust_ enough time for me to brag about my master plan~!” Kokichi laughed, “Isn’t it brilliant? With you gone, none of those idiots will ever figure out a plot like this…!”

Shuichi could hardly stand, his legs feeling wobbly at the implications.

Ouma pointed at the glass, “You served the glass to me…making it so I never left any fingerprints.” He looked at the straw, “And after I destroy this piece of evidence, they’ll never be able to piece things together…nishishi, the perfect crime~!”

Shuichi’s head was spinning. This was…a joke, right? It was Ouma – of course it was!

“O-Ouma-kun,” he finally managed to say. “W-what are you saying…?”

An evil grin appeared on Kokichi’s face before he pulled a napkin out from his pocket, using it to pick up the bottle of remaining soda and pouring it into the glass. “I’m saying, Mr. Detective…that I’m winning this killing game.”

He walked closer to Shuichi, who was still frozen to his spot. “With you gone, no one will be able to solve this crime.”

“O-Ouma-kun, wait- the drink is Panta, they’ll know it was you…!” Shuichi exclaimed, trying to decipher an outcome to a crime that hadn’t yet finished.

“Oh, will they…?” Kokichi said, before putting the soda bottle down and moving his napkin hand over to the glass, picking it up. He then placed his lips to the glass, downing it before looking at him, head tilted slightly to the side. “Even if I’m dead too?”

Shuichi watched him in horror.

He just…

Shuichi stumbled backwards, his mind working frantically to try and understand Ouma’s thought process…

What he expected to gain from this…

How killing them both off would end things…

_“Nishishi, juuuust kidding!”_

The sudden sound of Kokichi’s laugh broke the horrific silence that had overcome the room.

…

Shuichi stared at him, heart still beating strongly in his chest.

…

Kokichi put a finger up to his lips, standing a few feet away, “Hehe, you didn’t really think I’d kill you…or myself, right~?”

…

There were many words to describe what Shuichi felt in that moment.

…

_“You’re completely safe, Saihara-chan~! So am I!”_

…

However, his mind felt numb.

…

_“Well, hehe, as safe as anyone can be in this place!”_

…

And with that, Kokichi was gone.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi was back in his room, laying on his bed. There was no doubt about it. After a prank like that, Shuichi probably wished the supreme leader had been poisoned.

He deserved it, too.

Kokichi knew he went too far with his plan.

It was unintentional, though…

You might wonder how a plan as in depth as the supreme leader’s plot could have turned out with an unintentional ending…but it did.

He covered his face with his hands, frustrated at himself.

But…things would be better off this way.

Any other possibility wouldn’t have been plausible.

The way things were now…

It was an impossible ending to hope for.

A knock at his door made Kokichi jolt a little in surprise – no one ever visited him, unless they were looking to yell at him for something he did.

And if that was the case, then…well, if word got out, literally anyone could be waiting outside of that door to kill him.

He rolled over onto his side and shut his eyes, deciding to ignore them.

“…Ouma-kun?”

Kokichi opened his eyes again when he heard the voice. It wasn’t Momota or Harukawa threatening to bust down the door to make him pay for upsetting Saihara – it was the detective himself.

“Ouma-kun, can we talk?”

There it was again. That quiet, reserved voice he had grown to love hearing, whether in the dining hall, around a corner or during a class trial.

_…Why didn’t he sound angry?_

“…I…don’t know if what you did was just one big joke to scare me…but…please talk to me about it,” Shuichi said, still outside of the door.

Kokichi sat up, looking over towards the door. What was he doing?

“…I brought you another Panta,” the detective said, his voice sounding like it was used as a last resort.

Something in his heart ached hearing that. He sighed slightly, before getting off of the bed and going over to the door, leaning his head against it. He then gave his best load-of-BS-happiness voice, “ _Wooow_ , Saihara-chan, bringing me gifts when I treated you so terribly? I didn’t realize we were in such an abusive relationship! You should run away now before you get too committed and find it harder to leave~”

There was silence on the other side of the door for a moment, making Kokichi think that he might have turned around and left.

“…We need to talk, Ouma-kun. Please,” Shuichi finally spoke up.

Kokichi wasn’t sure what Saihara was thinking, but he figured he may as well hear it. “…Are you alone?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Anyone else, Kokichi would never have trusted. But this was Saihara…the only person in this god-forsaken place that he would ever even _consider_ trusting. 

He slowly unlocked the door, before opening it a crack and looking out to see the ultimate detective, who had changed into his normal clothes again and was carrying a bottle of Panta.

Kokichi made it a point to look him over before meeting the detective’s gaze, “Awww, already changed. What a shame…”

Shuichi’s serious expression wasn’t fazed as he watched Ouma, analyzing him carefully.

“What?” Kokichi said, “If you came _aaaall_ the way over here just to gaze into my gorgeous eyes, you’re better off taking a picture.”

“Can I come in?” Shuichi asked, ignoring his comment.

Kokichi watched him. So, he was cutting to the chase.

“Oh, yeah, absolutely-“ Kokichi said, acting like he’d open the door before stepping out himself and shutting it behind him. “Hah, believed me for a second, didn’t ya?”

Shuichi merely stepped back to give the supreme leader more space, shaking his head. “If you don’t want to talk in your room, let’s go to mine.”

Kokichi frowned slightly. Shuichi was acting differently. Usually he would give more of a response to his jibes, but now he was just…no-nonsense.

It made Ouma take a moment to consider. After what he did, Shuichi should be royally pissed. He had embarrassed him, teased him and then made him believe he was about to die. Was he just the silently-fuming type?

Before Kokichi could even answer, Shuichi had grabbed hold of his wrist and started walking to his own room. The smaller boy tugged at his arm, “Hey, I never said I would go!” he exclaimed.

What if he was planning something? What if he set up a trap in his room? What if literally everyone who hated him was in one room ready to torture him or something?

Kokichi couldn’t help the overwhelming thoughts running through his head – all of the different negative possibilities that could happen if he stepped foot into Saihara’s room. 

His mind was never quiet. It was a web of interconnecting scenarios, always updating when he discovered new information. There were good strings, bad strings, hilarious strings…all weaving together or apart based on other’s actions around him. He tried to predict scenarios based on the patterns he recognized…however, it was exhausting to do so.

This web of possibilities was what made him so quick-thinking and useful in the trials. He constantly went over connections based on what he witnessed and pieced things together before they even got classified as useful in other’s minds.

There were many possibilities Kokichi was thinking of as Saihara led him to his room, the detective ignoring him completely as he continued holding onto his wrist.

Before long, they were both outside of Shuichi’s room, the detective unlocking it and bringing the supreme leader inside.

Kokichi had already seen Shuichi’s room – he had seen everyone’s, thanks to sneaking in to grab everyone’s motive videos. While his heart beat quickly against his chest, he noticed that the room was empty. There didn’t seem to be anyone else there.

So, they were meeting alone after all.

His mind was already trying to figure out why Shuichi wanted to talk to him – after what he said. The other brought him over to his bed, setting the bottle of Panta on his night stand. He then sat Kokichi down on the edge of the bed, putting both hands on his shoulders to make sure he sat. 

What was he doing?

Shuichi was watching him with those deep golden-gray eyes of his – the eyes that seemed to have seen so much more than his shy persona let on. Kokichi stared back at him, keeping his poker face on with a questioning look.

“Aren’t we moving a little fast, Saihara-chan?” he asked. Shuichi immediately let go of his shoulders and stood up straight, biting his lip slightly as he looked to the side.

The detective seemed lost at what, or how, to say whatever it was he wanted to. It made Kokichi both annoyed and worried. His comment hadn’t even flustered him, he just looked concerned.

“…Say something, this is creepy,” Kokichi eventually said when an awkward amount of time had passed before anything was said. “Have you cracked? I mean, geez, after thinking you were dying, it’s understandable-“

_“Why did you do it?”_

Shuichi had spoken so suddenly, his voice louder than usual as he cut off Ouma’s sentence. He was looking at him again, eyes searching for the truth.

Kokichi felt like squirming under his interrogation gaze. “Do what? That’s kinda vague, considering I’ve done a lotta things that fall under that umbrella.”

“Why did you joke around about dying?”

The question was so sudden…though, expected.

After all, that was what he did.

Kokichi shrugged, looking to the side, “Like it matters. Death is inevitable anyway. Look around us, Saihara-chan.”

Shuichi kept his gaze on him, still standing in front of the other.

“That…that plot seemed pretty well thought-out,” Shuichi said, his nerves starting to break through his stance.

Oh. So that’s what this was about.

Kokichi grinned, “Haha, thanks! It was a joke. That’s all. Wouldn’t be real smart of me to go through with something I already told the ultimate detective, right?” He said, making it seem like he was ridiculous for even thinking about it.

Saihara watched him silently for a moment – Ouma could practically see the wheels spinning in his mind before he finally spoke up. “…I do think it was a joke, at first.”

Kokichi stared at him, “At first? What do you mean by that? Obviously, it was a joke at first - if it wasn’t, we’d both be dead.”

Shuichi shook his head, “I’m not talking about that. The deal you made with me to get my hat back…that was a joke.”

…What was he doing?

“Uh, duh, it’s all part of the same joke,” Kokichi said, making it seem like that was obvious.

Shuichi put his hand to his chin, looking to the side, “…I don’t think so.” He then turned his attention back to Kokichi. “Ouma-kun, that joke had ended. I got my hat back. So why did you pretend we were poisoned?”

It was totally unnecessary.

He could see it.

“Because I wanted to be a dick,” Kokichi replied simply, looking at his fingers. “Simple as that.”

Shuichi wasn’t going to accept that as an answer.

“You’re wrong, Ouma-kun,” he said, making the smaller male look up at him.

“Wrong? How?” Kokichi asked, finding the situation turning into a much different one than he had pictured.

Shuichi moved closer to him. “Tell me…why do you mess with people?” He asked.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Kokichi replied, “But I’ll answer yours. I mess with you and all of the idiots here because **I enjoy watching you suffer**. I’m an evil person who loves seeing people squirm or get annoyed or angry because of the things I do to make them that way.” Kokichi leaned his hands back on the bed, “So get mad or upset or cry all you want. _I’ll enjoy every minute of it._ ”

Shuichi stared at him as he answered, seeming to find something of importance in that answer. He nodded, “I see…”

“Great, so I’m gonna go now,” Kokichi said, standing up.

Shuichi grabbed his shoulders again, moving him back down on the bed again.

“No, you’re going to tell me the truth,” Shuichi said without any hint that it was optional.

Kokichi looked back up at Shuichi, feeling inwardly flustered that he had done something so forward. “The truth? This isn’t a class trial, Saihara-chan, so quit playing detective.”

“Quit playing?” Shuichi questioned, “I thought you enjoyed games, Ouma-kun?”

Kokichi felt nerves twist in his stomach as Shuichi pointed out a discrepancy from his typical character. “I do love games~” He tried to make up for it with enthusiasm. “But this whole ‘I must find the truth!’ trope of yours is getting reeeeaaallyyyy repetitive. And boring...”

Shuichi could tell he was cornering Kokichi, as much as the other tried to hide it. He pressed on.

“Then I’ll take a break after this. First, why don’t you tell me why you really stole my hat?” He asked, his hands still on his shoulders.

Kokichi was getting really tired of this. His head was also starting to hurt, and…was he feeling nauseous too?

The smaller boy tried to move Shuichi’s hands off of his shoulders, “Because I wanted to see you in a maid uniform and have you serve me. Now let go!”

Shuichi blushed at that. It was such a simple answer, but he didn’t try to deflect it. He let go of his shoulders.

“…Now, why did you really joke about dying?” Shuichi asked next, Kokichi clearly annoyed now.

“I already told you why. Because _I’m an evil person who wanted to ruin your day_ ,” he stated simply.

Shuichi saw through that lie, though.

And he had the truth bullet to prove it.

He made sure his voice was steady as he gazed back at Kokichi. “You aren’t evil, Kokichi. If you were, you wouldn’t have contradicted yourself.”

Kokichi inwardly got concerned. How did he contradict himself? He was always careful not to…!

Shuichi went on, “As you said earlier, you mess with me and the others because you enjoy watching us suffer…you love seeing how people react when you poke and prod them. You told me yourself to get mad or upset all I want, because you’d enjoy every minute of it.”

Kokichi stared back at Shuichi, slowly realizing the mistake he had made and the fact that there was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

“If you really planned from the start to make me think I was dying, you would have stayed to see my reaction,” he said, watching as Kokichi picked at his fingernails. “But you ran off before I even said anything.”

Ouma merely smiled.

Then, he clapped.

“Great detective work, Saihara-chan~! You found the flaw in my actions, even though I’m usually _suuuuper_ careful!” He exclaimed. “Mannn, I messed up. Kudos to you, though!”

Shuichi blushed slightly at the praise, “Thank you, but…that still doesn’t explain why you decided to do it. And…I’m not sure myself.” The detective began thinking again, trying to backtrack the events of the plot. Why did Kokichi do it?

“You’re on your own, Mr. Detective,” Kokichi said, getting up again so he could finally leave. “And you’ll never figure it out!”

Shuichi kept his eye on the supreme leader, “Wait, Ouma-kun. I’m still not done asking you questions,” he said as the smaller boy started walking to the door.

“You’ve asked plenty,” Kokichi replied, stretching his arms behind his head. “If you haven’t figured it out now, you never will.”

Shuichi watched the other as he left the room. He felt like this was the closest he had ever been to deciphering Ouma and his antics.

Every conversation, every word from that boy’s mouth always aimed to throw the detective through a loop. Truths and lies intertwined _just_ enough that it was impossible to try and separate the two with certainty.

It was frustrating.

But also…

The detective ran a hand through his bangs, shaking his head at the word he almost used to describe Ouma’s antics.

_Fun._

To think the little pranks and irritating musings the other made were fun seemed almost as impossible as the scenario they were facing.

Yet…

As bothersome and headache-inducing as Ouma was, Saihara had to admit that it was intriguing to try and figure him out.

That was why he hadn’t gotten mad at Kokichi for what he pulled.

Because it was a situation that differed from his past antics.

He couldn’t help thinking that Ouma was trying to tell him something, but…that boy never went ahead and said things bluntly, unless he was making a point to embarrass someone.

Stealing his hat…the maid uniform…the glass of Panta…none of that was directly related to the poison plot he developed after he got his hat back.

So why did he do it?

Why did he do it, before running away?

_To be continued..._


	2. Twists, Turns, Truths and Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stealing Shuichi's hat…the maid uniform…the glass of Panta…none of these things were directly related to the poison plot Kokichi developed after Shuichi got his hat back.
> 
> So why did Ouma do it?
> 
> Why did he do it, before running away?
> 
> Twists, turns, truth and lies - they all come together in this exciting conclusion to A Last Drop of Panta!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back with the final segment of The Last Drop of Panta! It's time to see if Shuichi is able to figure out just what Ouma was planning...Once again, this fic is kind of my own commentary on why I ship Oumasai - if you have any questions, feel free to ask me! I love talking about it. :D Enjoy! ~Ghostie

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi Ouma was currently in front of his whiteboard, looking over the notes he had written and where he had placed the photos of each of his classmates on it.

The whiteboard helped him organize his many thoughts and possible scenarios.

It helped unclutter the mess of strings in his head in order to see how possibilities could play out.

One photo in particular was missing from the board – a photo of a certain detective.

Kokichi turned away from the board, before going over to his desk. Sitting down, he opened the drawer and pulled out a stack of papers. As he flipped through them, he saw doodles and diagrams, lists and scribbles.

The very last item in the stack was that same photo he had removed from the white board.

As he gazed at it, the supreme leader sighed before getting up and bringing it back over to the whiteboard, sticking it back in with the other students.

There was no way it’d work.

_Knock knock knock._

Kokichi looked over towards the door at the sudden intrusion of sound – he had already received more visitors in one day than he had their entire time there.

And Ouma had an idea on who it was.

He walked over to the door, saying tiredly, “Mr. Detective just won’t quit, will he?”

“I am not entirely sure what you are referring to, however Saihara-kun did ask me to send you a message,” a much different voice spoke from the other side of the door, almost sounding hesitant to be there.

Ouma furrowed his brows in confusion – Kiibo?

“Oh, it’s just you, Kiiboy! Nishishi, performing tasks for humans, what a very 'robot' thing of you to do,” Kokichi said, his usual mocking tone clear in his voice.

“I-I can assure you that I chose to do this, it was not a pre-programmed action that left me with no other choice but to comply,” Kiibo replied, “So please do not make such robophobic comments!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever helps you go into sleep mode at night,” Kokichi said before leaning against the closed door. “Anywaaays, what did Saihara-chan want you to tell me?”

Kiibo stood in front of the door, partly relieved that Ouma hadn't opened it. “He said that he would like you to meet him inside of his lab in approximately thirty minutes,” he replied, sounding a little nervous. “He would like to speak with you alone.”

Kokichi was confused by this, his mind scrambling to piece things together. Saihara wanted to speak with him alone? Then why didn’t he just go to him himself?

Then it clicked – he used Kiibo as messenger to deliver his personal message, while also implying another.

Kokichi would be safe meeting with him.

Shuichi couldn’t hurt him, nor could Kokichi try anything, because there was someone who knew the exact time they were meeting with each other.

_Clever detective._

“Alrighty, you’re free to go, Kiiboy!” Kokichi replied, acting as if the robot had just been interrogated.

The purple-haired boy could hear the robot sigh from the other side of the door, “Goodbye, Ouma-kun,” he said before walking away.

Kokichi listened to the metallic footsteps as they slowly grew fainter, still leaning back against the door. So, Shuichi wanted to talk…had he figured it out?

The supreme leader couldn’t help but feel nerves twist in his stomach. Saihara was smart. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had…after all, Ouma had slipped up.

He nervously played with the end of one of his tendrils of hair, twisting it over and around his pointer finger, his mind working to try and figure out just what Shuichi was planning...

He had a few situations in mind, though the only way he could know for sure would be to go and find out himself.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Approximately twenty-five minutes later, Kokichi Ouma stood outside of the Ultimate Detective’s lab.

There was no way he _wasn’t_ going to show up early to a situation like this one.

He stepped towards the door, reaching for the knob – and heard footsteps on the other side.

So, he was already there – not surprising.

Kokichi leaned closer to the door, trying to see if he could make anything out.

However, all he could hear was the soft, occasional patter of footsteps.

Ouma then decided that it was time to see what Shuichi was planning. He grabbed hold of the doorknob, about to open it before being interrupted by someone on the other side turning it. Kokichi let go as the door swung inward, revealing the detective’s lab.

The supreme leader expected to see Shuichi, but no one appeared.

Okay, super sketchy.

“…Saihara-chan, I know you’re in there,” Kokichi said, not stepping through the doorway out of caution. Even if Kiibo knew they were there, there was always the possibility this was some kind of trap.

The detective’s face suddenly appeared from around the door, looking at him. “Ah- so you did come early,” he said, sounding a little flustered.

“Yeah, hope that’s not a problem,” Kokichi replied, wondering why he was acting so suspicious.

“N-no, it’s not!” The detective opened the door more, but still remained hidden behind it. “You can come in.”

Kokichi squinted his eyes slightly, finding his actions extra strange. What was he doing?

“You don’t have to worry, I’m the only one in here and Kiibo knows we’re meeting,” Saihara said, picking up on Ouma’s hesitation.

So, he did plan things to go this way.

“Right, I knew you were too smart to have _accidentally_ sent Kiibo to tell me, instead of yourself,” Kokichi said, before stepping through the doorway. He was still on high alert, though he looked rather calm.

“Uh, y-yeah,” Shuichi said as the other stepped further into the room. Kokichi was glancing around, looking for any means of danger, though he didn’t immediately see any.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Kokichi cut to the chase, turning around to face the other just as Shuichi shut the door. And what he saw made him widen his eyes.

Shuichi was still facing the door, before he slowly turned to face Kokichi – wearing the same **maid uniform** he had worn earlier.

Kokichi stared at the detective, who had a faint tint of pink on his cheeks and was looking rather embarrassed.

After a moment, Kokichi tilted his head to the side and asked, “…What’s going on, Saihara-chan?”

Shuichi was averting his eyes, though after Ouma spoke he closed them. He let out a breath before opening his eyes once again, finally meeting Kokichi’s gaze. “I know the **truth** , Ouma-kun.”

Kokichi stared at Shuichi, not knowing what to think.

Out of all the scenarios he had pictured, not one of them included the detective wearing the **maid uniform** again. He changed out of it the first chance he got, so why was he back in it?

The supreme leader didn’t miss the statement about knowing the truth, but to be quite honest, he was trying to avoid it entirely.

“Truth? What **truth** …?” Kokichi finally replied, laughing a little. “Did you realize you like roleplaying as a maid, or something?”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi could feel his cheeks heat up more, but he knew he needed to stay focused. Ouma would say anything he could to avoid facing the **truth**.

The detective shook his head, “No…it’s not a truth about me.” He took a step towards the smaller boy, pointing a finger at him. “It’s a **truth** about you, Ouma-kun.”

_'A **truth** about you.'_

Kokichi let out another laugh, “Oh wow, Saihara-chan…hehehe, I didn’t expect you to take things this far..!”

Shuichi paused, “…What do you mean?”

Kokichi allowed a sly grin to appear on his face. “You’re so obsessed with finding the **truth** …I mean, I guess that was always obvious, since you’re the Ultimate Detective and all!”

Shuichi kept his golden-gray eyes locked on the other. He was trying to distract him…trying to move the conversation in a different direction.

He was trying to make this about Shuichi, not himself.

Kokichi continued, “It’s a remarkable talent that you have…it really is! That’s what makes you one of the smartest students here…y’know, if those other idiots didn’t have you, they all would’ve ended up dead already!”

Shuichi knew what he was doing. And it only made one thing clearer.

That Kokichi Ouma was trying to weasel his way out of the corner Shuichi had placed him in.

“I have more faith in the others than you do, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi replied. “We work together during the trials. I can’t use my talent without everyone’s help.”

Kokichi narrowed his eyes slightly, a dark aura appearing around him, “You mean you can’t use your talent at all, **_without something bad happening first_**.”

Shuichi could feel the daggers Kokichi had hidden in his words – that was his goal.

He knew Shuichi felt conflicted about using his talent. How he felt guilty dooming others while on his quest to find the truth.

To go straight to that point…Kokichi wasn’t playing around.

He didn’t want Shuichi to push any further.

“…You’re right. My talent is only useful when something happens that needs to be solved…” Shuichi replied, trying to keep his shield up. “I wish it didn’t work that way, but you’re moving away from the reason why I asked you to meet me here.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi wasn’t happy. On the outside, he was maintaining his cool…but inside? His stomach was being eaten alive by nerves at each attempt Shuichi made to ‘find the truth.’

Why was he trying so hard to find it?

Didn’t he realize it would never happen?

“Then tell me, Mr. Detective. Why did you ask me to meet you here?” Kokichi asked, voice monotone.

Shuichi moved closer to Kokichi, stopping not far away. “I’m asking for you to please be **honest** with me. Just once. No games or twisted words.”

Kokichi stared at Saihara, a blank expression on his face. He brushed his fingertips slightly against the white fabric of his pants, a hardly noticeable nervous movement.

Saihara wasn’t going to let this go.

“And what exactly do you want me to be **honest** about?” He replied, violet eyes staring lifelessly into Shuichi’s hopeful ones.

Saihara stood in the maid uniform, trying to keep a look of confidence on his face as he replied, “I want you to tell me **what you wanted to happen** after stealing my hat and making your request.”

Kokichi froze.

“Not _what_ happened…but what you _wanted_ to happen,” Shuichi emphasized.

The smaller boy’s expression had changed. Now, instead of blankly staring at Shuichi, his brows had furrowed slightly.

“You never planned to pretend we got poisoned…that was just an incredibly thorough improvisation. Something that an expert liar like yourself would find easy to do,” Shuichi pointed out.

Kokichi was silent.

“Everything up until that point was planned from the start. You had a reason for all of it,” Shuichi said, “Isn’t that right, Ouma-kun?”

The supreme leader stood still, his pulse pounding in his ears.

He figured it out…and there was no amount of BS that would be able to work around it.

Ouma tilted his head down, hiding his eyes behind his bangs, a small smile forming on the boy’s lips.

“Hah…you really are called the ultimate detective for a reason,” he said, voice sounding almost defeated.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi watched him carefully, wary due to his actions.

“You’re right. I did have other plans,” Ouma admitted simply.

Now Shuichi was the surprised one. He honestly hadn’t thought Kokichi would give in that easily.

“…What were they?” Shuichi asked, hoping he would continue being this open – while also being hesitant, as he could also be forming another lie.

“Why should I bother saying it if you already know?” Ouma questioned, staring at him.

Shuichi stared back. He didn’t want to admit it himself…or maybe he thought the detective was bluffing and didn’t want to fall for it.

“Besides, I think the better question here is why you’re wearing that outfit again,” Kokichi soon said, gesturing to the maid uniform. “If I had known this was a costume party, I would have worn one myself~!”

Saihara bit his lip slightly, he was trying to take control of the conversation again. However, in this instance the reason he wore the uniform was connected with the end goal of getting Ouma to admit the truth. If he played his cards right, he could still direct the conversation that way.

“…I wore it because **you wanted me to** , Ouma-kun."

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi could feel a faint blush come to his cheeks at the detective’s simple response. He was countering his attempts to change the subject very well. As expected of the ultimate detective.

“Well, thanks. I’m not really used to people actually doing things for me without me blackmailing them into it,” Ouma replied back.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

So, he didn’t deny it – good.

Shuichi walked over to the desk in the room, reaching behind a stack of books that had hidden a tray with a bottle of **Panta** on it.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi watched him as he picked up the tray, wondering why he was going through this again. Though, if his questions had been any indication, Ouma was starting to think he was trying to recreate the scenario from earlier.

_‘I want you to tell me **what you wanted to happen** after stealing my hat and making your request.’_

Saihara’s words echoed in Kokichi’s mind, making the boy realize that that had to be his goal. Shuichi was trying to make things go…the way Kokichi ‘wanted’ them to.

Which meant…

“Saihara-chan, I see what you’re trying to do,” he said as the other walked over to him.

“I already told you what I’m trying to do,” Shuichi replied, looking at the other while holding the tray. “I want you to tell the **truth**.”

_The **truth**._

Kokichi sighed in exasperation, “You’re really stubborn, y’know?"

Shuichi stopped in front of him, clad in the maid’s uniform and holding the tray as poised as he could without feeling too embarrassed, “So are you. Now, enough with the games. Be **honest** with me, Ouma-kun. How did you want your plan to end?”

Kokichi stared back at Shuichi, his eyes drifting over the detective in the uniform. Visions of what he had written on the papers in his desk crossed his mind. The plot he had come up with, with **one** **goal** in mind.

“…I stole your hat with the intention of asking you to dress up in a **maid uniform** and serve me **Panta** ,” Kokichi said, all of which had come true.

Shuichi nodded, “You said that you did that because you wanted to see me in this,” the detective gestured awkwardly to the dress he was wearing.

“Also because I was _suuuuper_ thirsty,” Ouma added.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

“Right…” Shuichi replied, a blush on his cheeks. Kokichi had said that. If Iruma was there, she’d have made some kind of raunchy joke. But Saihara didn’t think Kokichi had really meant it that way...and if he had, it was only to embarrass him.

“You told me to take a sip…because you wanted to make sure it wasn’t **poisoned** ,” Shuichi continued, watching Kokichi’s face carefully.

The other nodded, “Yep~ You drank from the glass, which I expected you to do.”

“And then you asked me to drink from the **straw** ,” Shuichi said, “Because there was a possibility I poisoned the straw and wanted to throw you off by sipping the glass.”

Ouma nodded once again, “But you didn’t. Instead, you started **questioning** me.”

Shuichi thought back to the scenario – it was true, instead of listening to Ouma’s request, Saihara had figured that the other had done all that to mess with him. He then had started to question why the other had really stolen his hat.

“Before you ask, I expected you to question me too. You ARE the ultimate detective, after all,” Kokichi spoke up, paying attention to Shuichi’s thought process from the expressions on his face.

Did he really though?

Shuichi wasn’t sure. After all, Ouma was the king of **lies**. He could be maneuvering him away from the **truth** right this very moment…

…Or he could be betting on Shuichi expecting him to be lying, when he’s actually telling the truth, leading him away from the **truth** that way.

Ugh, dealing with Ouma was too confusing.

However, one thing was certain.

Something happened during the questioning that differed from Kokichi’s plans. And whatever it was would explain why Kokichi switched gears so drastically.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi kept his violet gaze on Shuichi, watching him look off to the side in thought, hand on his chin as he held the tray.

It was really cute.

_The way Saihara-chan got so **engaged** with mysteries. _

_The way Saihara-chan **questioned** everything. _

_The way Saihara-chan put so much **effort** into figuring things out that other people didn’t bother with..._

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi was still in thought, going over what Kokichi had said. How he expected him to question him. If that was really true, then why didn’t things go according to plan?

That was when the detective realized what happened.

_He **stopped**._

After Ouma had explained that he stole his hat because he wanted to see him in the uniform and was thirsty, Shuichi had **given up**.

He figured that Kokichi was one of the only people who would waste more effort devising a plan to make someone else bring him a drink than he would have spent getting one himself.

But that wasn’t true.

Ouma’s real plan had been much more involved than that.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

The apparent clarity was clear on Shuichi’s face – Kokichi could tell that he had pieced it together.

“So, Mr. Detective fiiiiinally figured it out, huh?” He said, a small smile appearing on his face. His stomach, however, was still churning nervously.

Saihara turned his attention back to Kokichi, seeming much more confident now. “Yes,” he said. “It was all a **game** to you. You wanted me to figure out your plan, but I failed.” Shuichi lowered the tray a little, “I accepted your answer and didn’t question it further, even though I should have.”

He figured it out.

Kokichi still wasn’t sure if he had figured out the rest, but…

He at least knew there was more to the scenario than he originally thought.

“ _Ding, ding, ding!_ Saihara-chan wins 20 points for realizing he failed!” Kokichi exclaimed, “Of course, you lost around, hmmm~, 462 when that happened, so that doesn’t mean much.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi understood why Kokichi had switched gears now, but he didn’t quite understand why he did it in such an alarming way.

“…So, you expected me to keep prying,” Shuichi said, still in thought. “Your plan depended on me finding out whatever it was you were trying to do.”

“Yeeeep, but you disappointed me, Saihara-chan,” Kokichi said, feigning sadness. “There’s no point in you figuring it out now, since you already lost!”

There was no way Shuichi was going to give up when he was so close to getting Ouma to admit the truth.

“I’m going to figure it out, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi replied resolutely. “I asked you to meet me here so that I could find out the **truth** …even if I failed before, I won’t this time.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi stared at the detective – he had already defied what he expected by wearing the maid costume. Was he actually going to figure it out…?

“…No, that won’t be happening,” Kokichi said, rather sternly. “So just give up, Saihara-chan.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi watched Ouma carefully. He had already given up, and that’s why Kokichi had gotten upset…now when he wanted to fix things, he wasn’t letting him? That could only mean…

“…You don’t want me figuring it out,” Shuichi spoke his thought to the other.

Kokichi grabbed the bottle of Panta from the tray Shuichi was holding, twisting off the cap as he turned away, “You already lost. So, there’s no use wasting energy to try and go back to it. Accept your loss and move on.”

If Ouma wasn’t going to cooperate, then Shuichi was on his own. However, that didn’t deter him.

He was so close to figuring something truthful out about Kokichi – he wasn’t going to lose that chance.

The detective turned away from the other as well, putting the tray back on the desk before putting a hand to his chin.

He had wanted him to keep prying…but instead, Shuichi had given up.

He closed his eyes, thinking back to those last few moments.

He needed to decipher the **truth** from the **lies**.

ıllıllııllıllı

_Kokichi swallowed the sip before letting out a hum of approval. “Mmmm~! Super refreshing!” he exclaimed, before leaning back on his heels. “Thanks, Saihara-chan! I was suuuuper thirsty, to the point where my throat was so dry I thought cacti were going to start growing there! And if that happened, I’d be dead for sure!”_

An embellishment of the **truth**.

_“I was too lazy to go alllll the way to the dining hall for a drink, though, so I thought it’d be MUCH more fun to steal your hat in order to give you some incentive to get one for me!”_

A lie, yet the term ‘ **incentive** ’ certainly stuck out…

_“Nee-heehee, the maid uniform was just an added bonus~” he winked at the detective._

An **added bonus** …with meaning.

_After everything…Shuichi couldn’t even bring himself to waste energy being surprised, or angry. This was Kokichi. One of few who would waste more effort devising a plan to make someone else bring him a drink than he would have spent getting one himself._

_Saihara merely sighed, “Can I have my hat back now that you’ve had your fun?”_

He made a **mistake** , misjudged Kokichi’s intentions.

_Kokichi closed his eyes and nodded with a grin, “Mmmhm!” He leaned forward again, taking another long sip to finish up the soda before plopping the hat onto Shuichi’s head. “Thanks again, Saihara-chan~!”_

He hadn’t seemed upset, though…there had to be something else…

_“Yeah…” Shuichi said in reply, **irritation** in his tone, “Next time, you can get your own drink.”_

ıllıllııllıllı

Shuichi opened his eyes.

That was the last thing he had said before he turned to leave the room…and Kokichi made him stop with his lie about the poison.

He had sounded irritated, sure…but after thinking the other had made him do all that just because he had been too lazy to get a drink? It was only natural…

However, Kokichi hadn’t been too lazy to get a drink.

He had other plans, though Shuichi hadn’t realized it at the time.

Did he get upset because the detective had thought he was **lazy** …?

Shuichi turned to look over at Kokichi, who was currently looking at the books on one of the bookshelves, while drinking the bottle of Panta.

No, Kokichi wouldn’t get upset over something like that. His other classmates had vocalized worse opinions on him…

…So why did he change the subject?

It had to be connected to the **truth** Kokichi had wanted him to figure out.

A **truth** he was now _refusing_ to let him figure out.

“…Ouma-kun?” Shuichi asked, making the other turn to look over at him.

“Yeah?"

“I’m sorry,” Shuichi said, golden-gray eyes meeting the other’s violet ones.

Kokichi raised an eyebrow, “Sorry? For what, failing? What’s done is done, just forget about it!”

Shuichi shook his head, “ **I’m sorry for hurting you**.”

Kokichi was silent…but that was the only answer Saihara needed.

Shuichi took a few steps closer to the smaller boy. “You clearly put a lot of thought into your plan. So, I’m sorry that I brushed it off as a silly antic. Whatever you originally planned for it…I’m sorry things didn’t turn out that way.”

Kokichi had been meeting his eyes, before turning away with a shrug. “I already told you, it’s done. Forget about it.”

“It isn’t done, though,” Shuichi said, putting a hand on Ouma’s shoulder.

The smaller boy narrowed his eyes, “Yes it is, Saihara-chan! That ending isn’t possible, so stop trying to reach it!”

Shuichi pulled his hand away, a little surprised that Kokichi had gotten that forceful. He really wanted to keep whatever it was a secret.

He was hiding…

_Hiding from the **truth**._

At that realization, Shuichi knew how to get Kokichi to tell him.

He moved around the other so that he could see his face.

“Ouma-kun.”

Kokichi raised his eyes to look at him, “What?”

“Stop hiding from the truth. You told me yourself that you **didn’t want to be thought of as someone who hides away** , **avoiding a person of interest to secure your own safety** …” Shuichi trailed off, “So what do you call what you’re doing now?”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi was surprised, however there was no denying that Shuichi had called him out for exactly what he was doing.

“…Alright. You got me,” Ouma eventually said. “ _Stubborn detective._ ”

Shuichi had thought things through. He hadn’t understood everything, but he damn right understood more than anyone else had ever understood about Ouma.

That alone was reason enough to reward the detective.

“…So, what’s the **truth**?” Shuichi asked, watching Ouma seriously. “What did you want me to figure out?”

“It’s not about what I wanted you to figure out, which is why you were already doomed in your investigation,” Kokichi replied, surprising Shuichi.

“Huh? Then what was it about?” He asked.

Kokichi sighed, as if explaining the **truth** was going to be an exhausting venture.

“...All I wanted was to have fun.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi had a blank expression on his face at that. He was going to make this out to have been one big game again-

“I…wanted **_us_** to have fun,” Kokichi then added, somewhat quieter.

Saihara hadn’t expected that.

“…Us?”

Ouma nodded. “I didn’t know how else to get you to hang out with me, so I came up with an idea to steal your hat and…well, y’know.”

Shuichi stared at the other male, expecting him to laugh or call him an idiot for not realizing something so simple...but he was silent.

“…You went through all that trouble because you wanted to spend time with me?”

Ouma nodded, “The maid uniform was just to throw you off… _and_ because I thought you’d look really good in a maid uniform.” He then brought a hand up to his mouth, as if he were about to tell a secret, and whispered, “ _I was right~_ ”

Shuichi blushed darkly at that.

“ _Buuuut_ then you got annoyed, so I **changed the game** ,” Kokichi said simply. “You didn’t like the **game** I chose, so I **changed** it to something else.”

“…And then you ran off,” Shuichi finished.

“Yeah. I shouldn’t have even played that **game** in the first place – it was doomed from the start” Kokichi said, shrugging. “Live and learn.”

Shuichi couldn’t believe it. Well, he normally couldn’t believe anything Kokichi said, but this time he really hadn’t expected his response. Especially when…

“…I _did_ have fun, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi said, a **truth** that he himself hadn’t wanted to admit.

Kokichi lifted his eyes to look at the detective, “…Don’t lie, Saihara-chan. I hate liars."

Shuichi shook his head, “I’m not lying…” he rubbed his arm slightly, “Hanging out with you…can be confusing. You don’t make it easy to talk to you…the way you twist words around and make it hard to tell if you’re telling the truth or lying…it gives me a headache.”

“Are you a masochist?” Kokichi asked, because he clearly wasn’t proving his point very well.

“No-!” Shuichi exclaimed far too quickly, “Let me finish…While you’re super confusing to be around, it’s also…well, **fun** , to try and figure you out.”

“I think you’re a masochist,” Ouma said again, making Shuichi blush and give him a look.

“Stop it, I’m being serious here,” Shuichi said, watching him carefully. “I have **fun** around you, Ouma-kun. Even when I don’t understand something you say…it…makes me want to find out more. You’re a **challenge** that never gets boring.”

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Kokichi had been throwing around comments like nothing, but inside his heart was beating quickly in his chest. Shuichi actually had **fun** around him? Well…that’s what he had hoped for. After what happened though, the supreme leader figured it impossible for the detective to actually think that way about him.

Why was he suddenly saying this now?

As much as Kokichi tried to figure it out, his thoughts were too clouded by excitement to think straight. And for once, he decided to accept things as they were.

After all, Saihara-chan was trustworthy.

“…A **challenge** , huh?” Ouma questioned with a smile on his face. “That’s _waaaay_ better than being boring!”

Shuichi smiled back at the other, “You’re right. It is.”

There it was, one of Saihara’s rare, but enchanting smiles. Ouma’s heart skipped a beat whenever he saw it – and this time, it was directed at him. Things had certainly taken many turns that day, but…now it seemed like they were finally right.

Kokichi had always felt a connection to the detective – a kind of magnetic pull. They were opposites, yet more similar than either liked to admit. It was this **dynamic** between the two that attracted the supreme leader to the ultimate detective.

No one had ever been able to figure Kokichi out – nor had anyone ever really tried. Most grew too frustrated to ever get past the boy’s **defenses**.

There was something about the detective that made Ouma think – possibly even **hope** – that he would be able to push through Kokichi’s lies…and see him as more than just an **antagonist**.

His **deductive skill** and **interest in finding out the** **truth** made Ouma believe that he may have had what it took to stay motivated long enough to get somewhere. That was why he had plotted the idea to steal the detective’s hat.

He chose to give him a very rare chance to break past his **defenses** and **see the real Kokichi Ouma**.

When the detective had grown frustrated after the prank, though, Kokichi grew discouraged. After everything, it seemed like Saihara was just like the others and would never be able to see the real him after all...

He thought he was just another person who saw him as an **irritation**. And so, his defenses came back up furiously – he had crafted the **lie** about dying, because his original plan didn’t seem to have a satisfying end. Saihara had lost his chance to figure him out…

But...even after Kokichi himself had **given up** on reaching that ending...

Here the detective was, standing in front of him in a **maid uniform** , admitting that he found the compulsive liar **challenging** …

...and **fun** to be around.

_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_

Shuichi gazed back at Kokichi, feeling that, for once, he could say **he wasn’t completely lost** when it came to being around the other.

It had taken a lot of time, but the detective had figured out why the supreme leader had done what he had to get them to where they were now.

He was... **amazing**.

There were many words that could be used to describe Kokichi – but at the moment, **amazing** seemed like the best term.

The way his mind worked was still a mystery to Saihara, but the small glimpse he had received proved that Kokichi was an **incredibly intelligent** person who had a **reason** for everything he did.

Just like Shuichi, he **analyzed** **everything** **that happened around him**.

Just like Shuichi, he **put up defenses to try and hide from the truth**.

And just like Shuichi, he **wanted to be safe…and understood.**

The two had **differences** that clashed, yet those differences were ones that could be **overcome** with just a _little_ bit of **effort**.

And, through that **effort** , they had the chance to discover a **mutual understanding** of each other.

**One that neither of them had been able to predict.**

**_· · ─────── · · ─────── · ·_ **

Kokichi lifted the bottle of grape-flavored Panta to his lips again, smirking while he moved his eyes over the other.

“I’m really glad I asked Shirogane-chan to make that outfit! Can you wear it every time we hang out~?”

Shuichi blushed darkly as the purple gremlin then raised the soda, drinking it in gulps. However, he merely sighed, a small smile appearing on his lips.

“Only if you promise to tell the **truth**."

Kokichi lowered the bottle, swallowing the last drop of Panta, before grinning mischievously.

_“Where’s the **fun** in that?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd that's a wrap!
> 
> Kokichi and Shuichi make quite an interesting pair to me - I absolutely LOVE their dynamic! My own opinions on their ship were infused into this story, so I really hope you enjoyed the journey. I am always happy to rant about why I ship them more, if you have any questions!
> 
> Writing this story took nearly two weeks - I really wanted to portray a possible scenario where Kokichi and Shuichi might have a chance at being a couple, even in the killing game situation (Kokichi's paranoia makes it really hard for anyone to get close to him. But since he finds Shuichi trustworthy [?], I feel like they both could have a chance to flourish if they both took the time and effort to understand each other).
> 
> To those who read this through to the end, THANK YOU - I'm so happy my fic kept you engaged enough to see how everything fell together in the end. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read this story/analysis.
> 
> I would love to hear your thoughts, either on how I portrayed Oumasai or just your thoughts on the ship in general! So feel free to leave a comment. Thanks again and I hope you have a lovely day! ~Ghostie


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